In this final three-part installment in refuting Peter Dimond's Treatise defending Feeneyism, the Catechetical tenets are introduced as evidence against the fallacy that Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire are heresy. Rather the Catechisms overwhelmingly support BOB and BOD and leave no room for rebuttal for Roma locuta est whether it is The Catechism of Trent, the Catechism of St. Pius X or the Baltimore Catechism to name a few.

"The key word in all that is 'monstrous.' The peculiar doctrine propounded by Fr. Feeney and his followers, including Peter Dimond, and as refuted throughout this series is indeed 'monstrous.' The real whole point of denying BOB and BOD is to try to find some excuse to put as many in hell as possible, as if one should derive pleasure from the thought, or as if the joys of Heaven would be lessened if they had to be shared with any who were not baptized in water, however innocent. The 'monster-God' concept may well appeal to those who love to devote themselves to serving evil, but it really can have no appeal to conscience. Such an appeal can only draw lovers of iniquity, those who love the idea of the innocent suffering endlessly. Can there be a more direct example of bad will?"

We now arrive at the one last evidence against the position taken in the Treatise, one of lesser dogmatic weight, as theologians determine things, but on a practical level, the one thing of the most weight as affects the necessary belief of individual Catholics, especially those of us who operate on the lay level. And that is the Catechisms. It is known to have occurred once that an edition of the Bible, through a misprint, stated that "Thou shalt commit adultery." (The word "not" was accidently omitted.) For obvious reasons, that particular edition of the Bible is often called "The Wicked Bible." Original copies of this Bible are extremely scarce (barely a dozen survive), and they always command extremely high prices on what rare occasions any of them is put up for auction. But if it can happen with a Bible, I do have to grant that it could happen with a Catechism.

So I suppose it is theoretically possible that a Catechism could be out of line. But again, could this happen with any number of Catechisms, especially over centuries? When Fr. Feeney originally published his Bread of Life, virtually all American Catholics had been raised in the Baltimore Catechism, and as such would know (or at least dimly remember, if this were called to their attention, or if they should be bothered to dig their Catechism out of the attic and look it up) that the Baltimore Catechism taught BOB and BOD in no uncertain terms.

His response to that fact was to treat the Baltimore Catechism as though it were some sort of aberration, teaching what nothing and no one else had ever taught. So let's start here with what the Baltimore Catechism has to say about it. Of course, one real limitation for catechisms would be that often in simplifying the explanations they may at times somewhat oversimplify to the point of some small distortion, for there does come a point that data compression can no longer be lossless. But, allowing for such occasional oversimplifications, the catechisms do testify to what has been generally taught and believed by the rank and file of the whole Church, and without reproof from the Magisterium.

For starters, let me point out that Baltimore Catechism #1 (and those simpler volumes for yet younger audiences) does not teach BOB or BOD. The 1885-1933 edition does have one Q&A relating to these issues, as follows:

154. Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

More recent editions of the Baltimore Catechism #1 (such as the 1964) omit even this. But from this it should be pointed out that there would be many such catechism that indeed do not mention BOB or BOD, on account of their being addressed to very young minds, and BOB and BOD have always been deemed somewhat more "advanced" doctrines only to be taught to more mature minds, on account of their complexity. I have no doubt that many other older catechisms, brought forth by those who deny BOB and BOD, supposedly in support of a claim that only recent catechisms such as the Baltimore would teach them, would also turn out to teach them in their more advanced editions for older students. But one does see here the only legitimate manner in which BOB and BOD can be ignored, and that is if one does not study the faith very deeply, and is willing to content oneself with a Baltimore Catechism #1 level of Catholic education.

The Baltimore Catechism #2 is aimed at audiences deemed capable of comprehending these issues. I include here the relevant passages from the 1885-1933 edition, and again from the 1962-1969 edition:

154. Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

157. Q. How many kinds of Baptism are there?

A. There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of desire, and of blood.

159. Q. What is Baptism of desire?

A. Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism, and to do all that God has ordained for our salvation.

160. Q. What is Baptism of blood?

A. Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the faith of Christ.

161. Q. Is Baptism of desire or of blood sufficient to produce the effects of Baptism of water?

A. Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the effects of the Baptism of water, if it is impossible to receive the Baptism of water.

320. Why is Baptism necessary for the salvation of all men?

Baptism is necessary for the salvation of all men because Christ has said: "Unless a man be born again of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

321. How can those be saved who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism?

Those who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism can be saved through what is called baptism of blood or baptism of desire.

However, only Baptism of water actually makes a person a member of the Church. It might be compared to a ladder up which one climbs into the Bark of Peter, as the Church is often called.

Baptism of blood or desire makes a person a member of the Church in desire. These are the two lifelines trailing from the sides of the Church to save those who are outside the Church through no fault of their own. (See Questions 166-168.)

322. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of blood?

An unbaptized person receives the baptism of blood when he suffers martyrdom for the faith of Christ.

323. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of desire?

An unbaptized person receives the baptism of desire when he loves God above all things and desires to do all that is necessary for his salvation.

167. What do we mean when we say, "Outside the Church there is no salvation"?

When we say, "Outside the Church there is no salvation," we mean that Christ made the Catholic Church a necessary means of salvation and commanded all to enter it, so that a person must be connected with the Church in some way to be saved.

No one can be saved except by being united to the Catholic Church. It is like Noe's Ark which saved men from the flood. Only through Christ and His Mystical Body can men be saved. They must be either in the Ark of the Church or at least hanging onto the ropes which trail from its sides. (See Question 321.)

Read Genesis 6-8; 1 Peter 3, 18-22.

Christ Himself said, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned" (Mark 16, 16).

168. How can persons who are not members of the Catholic Church be saved?

Persons who are not members of the Catholic Church can be saved if, through no fault of their own they do not know that the Catholic Church is the true Church, but they love God and try to do His will, for in this way they are connected with the Church by desire.

These are really members of the Church in desire and receive grace through the Church. But we should pray that they actually enter the Church where there are more helps to be saved.

One does see here the slight oversimplification in that question 168 would make it sound like there could be salvation outside the Church, though as the further comments show, such individuals are actually "members of the Church in desire" which really amounts to them not really being "outside the Church" at all, just not quite "all the way in" yet. Imagine a house within which everyone will be spared and everyone outside will be killed. But now you have someone passing through the door, with half of himself "inside" and half still "outside." Would not the salvation of the half of the person inside require the sparing also of that other half of him that has not has yet passed through the door? Of course it would also make all the difference whether he were passing in or passing out through that door. And again, one other small oversimplification would be that this edition only recommends prayer for those who have not joined the Church, where the more advanced Catechism will add necessary works to those prayers.

On the next level, the Baltimore Catechism #3 (1885-1921 edition, and again from the 1949 edition, Fr. Connell's Confraternity Edition) goes into even more detail:

Q. 644. How many kinds of Baptism are there?

A. There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of desire, and of blood.

Q. 650. What is Baptism of desire?

A. Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism, and to do all that God has ordained for our salvation.

Q. 651. What is Baptism of blood?

A. Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the faith of Christ.

Q. 652. What is the baptism of blood most commonly called?

A. The baptism of blood is most commonly called martyrdom, and those who receive it are called martyrs. It is the death one patiently suffers from the enemies of our religion, rather than give up Catholic faith or virtue. We must not seek martyrdom, though we must endure it when it comes.

Q. 653. Is Baptism of desire or of blood sufficient to produce the effects of Baptism of water?

A. Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the effects of the Baptism of water, if it is impossible to receive the Baptism of water.

Q. 654. How do we know that the baptism of desire or of blood will save us when it is impossible to receive the baptism of water?

A. We know that baptism of desire or of blood will save us when it is impossible to receive the baptism of water, from Holy Scripture, which teaches that love of God and perfect contrition can secure the remission of sins; and also that Our Lord promises salvation to those who lay down their life for His sake or for His teaching.

320. Why is Baptism necessary for the salvation of all men?

Baptism is necessary for the salvation of all men because Christ has said: "Unless a man be born again of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

(a) Today, many of the sects, renewing the ancient heresy of the Pelagians, reject Christ's words concerning the necessity of Baptism and seek to establish their own norms of salvation.

SCRIPTURE: See Scripture, question 315, John 3:5; Mark 16:15-16.

321. How can those be saved who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism?

Those who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism can be saved through what is called baptism of blood or baptism of desire.

322. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of blood?

An unbaptized person receives the baptism of blood when he suffers martyrdom for the faith of Christ.

(a) Baptism of blood does not imprint a character on the soul, nor does it give one the right to receive the other sacraments. It does, however, confer grace and take away sin, original and actual, and the punishment due to sin.

(b) Martyrdom is the suffering, from a supernatural motive, of death or a mortal wound inflicted out of hatred for Christ, His religion, or a Christian virtue. In sinners guilty of mortal sin, at least attrition is also required in order to secure the effects of baptism of blood.

SCRIPTURE:
"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake, will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

"For he who would save his life will lose it; but he who loses his life for My sake and for the gospel's sake will save it" (Mark 8:35).

"And I say to you, everyone who acknowledge Me before men, him will the Son of Man also acknowledge before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8).

"Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

323. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of desire?

An unbaptized person receives the baptism of desire when he loves God above all things and desires to do all that is necessary for his salvation.

(a) Baptism of desire takes away all sin, original and actual, and the eternal punishment due to sin. It does not, however, imprint a character on the soul, nor does it necessarily take away all temporal punishment due to actual sins.

(b) In baptism of desire there need not always be an explicit desire to receive baptism of water.

SCRIPTURE:
"And behold, a certain lawyer got up to test him, saying, 'Master, what must I do to gain eternal life?' But He said to him, 'What is written in the Law? How dost thou read?' He answered and said, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength, and with thy whole mind; And thy neighbor as thyself.' And He said to him, 'Thou hast answered rightly; do this and thou shalt live'" (Luke 25-28).

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. But he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him" (John 14:21).

If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our abode with him" (John 14:23).

167. What do we mean when we say, "Outside the Church there is no salvation"?
When we say, "Outside the Church there is no salvation," we mean that those who through their own grave fault do not know that the Catholic Church is the true Church or, knowing it, refuse to join it, cannot be saved.

(a) "Outside the Church there is no salvation" does not mean that everyone who is not a Catholic will be condemned. It does mean that no one can be saved unless he belongs in some manner to the Catholic Church, either actually or in desire, for the means of grace are not given without some relation to the divine institution established by Christ.

168. Can they be saved who remain outside the Catholic Church because they do not know it is the true Church?

They who remain outside the Catholic Church through no grave fault of their own and do not know it is the true Church, can be saved by making use of the graces which God gives them.

(a) Those who are outside the Church through no fault of their own are not culpable in the sight of God because of their invincible ignorance.

(b) Persons who make use of the graces God gives them, even though they are not members of the true Church, actually have the desire to become members inasmuch as they wish to use all the means ordained by God for their salvation.

(c) We should pray and try to persuade others to investigate the teachings of the Catholic Church because charity obliges us to do all we can to lead others to salvation. We should also pray for Catholic missionaries and help them in their work of bringing the faith to those outside the Catholic Church.

So one sees here a more mature and complete presentation of the Catholic doctrines of BOB and BOD, such that, though much remains omitted, at least what is present would not be so easily misleading if read carelessly.

The highest level, Baltimore Catechism #4 (1891-1921 edition only) adds a number of mostly practical points that enlarge, in different ways, upon the same Questions and Answers as given in the earlier Baltimore Catechism #2:

154. Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

Those who through no fault of theirs die without Baptism, though they have never committed sin, cannot enter Heaven - neither will they go to Hell. After the Last Judgment there will be no Purgatory. Where, then, will they go? God in His goodness will provide a place of rest for them, where they will not suffer and will be in a state of natural peace; but they will never see God or Heaven. God might have created us for a purely natural and material end, so that we would live forever upon the earth and be naturally happy with the good things God would give us. But then we would never have known of Heaven or God as we do now. Such happiness on earth would be nothing compared to the delights of Heaven and the presence of God; so that, now, since God has given us, through His holy revelations, a knowledge of Himself and Heaven, we would be miserable if left always upon the earth. Those, then, who die without Baptism do not know what they have lost, and are naturally happy; but we who know all they have lost for want of Baptism know how very unfortunate they are.

Think, then, what a terrible crime it is to willfully allow anyone to die without Baptism, or to deprive a little child of life before it can be baptized! Suppose all the members of a family but one little infant have been baptized; when the Day of Judgment comes, while all the other members of a family - father, mother, and children - may go into Heaven, that little one will have to remain out; that little brother or sister will be separated from its family forever, and never, never see God or Heaven. How heartless and cruel, then, must a person be who would deprive that little infant of happiness for all eternity - just that its mother or someone else might have a little less trouble or suffering here upon earth.

157. Q. How many kinds of Baptism are there?

A. There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of desire, and of blood.

159. Q. What is Baptism of desire?

A. Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism, and to do all that God has ordained for our salvation.

"Ardent wish" by one who has no opportunity of being baptized - for no one can baptize himself. He must be sorry for his sins and have the desire of receiving the Baptism of water as soon as he can; just as a person in mortal sin and without a priest to absolve him may, when in danger of death, save his soul from Hell by an act of perfect contrition and the firm resolution of going to confession as soon as possible. Baptism of desire would be useful and necessary if there was no water at hand or no person to baptize; or if the one wishing to be baptized and those about him did not know exactly how Baptism was to be given - which might easily happen in pagan lands. One thing you must especially remember in giving Baptism in case of necessity: namely, that it would not do for one person to pour the water and another to say the words. The same person must do both, or the Baptism will not be valid: use clean water and nothing but water - no other liquid would do. Say every one of the exact words: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." It would not do to say, simply, "I baptize thee in the name of God"; or, "I baptize thee in the name of the Blessed Trinity"; nor would it do to say simply, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," without saying, "I baptize thee." Say the words at the same time you pour the water, and be sure the water touches the skin. It would not do to pour the water simply on the hair. You must not sprinkle the water, but pour it upon the head.

When you have followed the above instructions carefully and are sure you have baptized properly, never under any circumstance repeat the Baptism on the same person. It is a sin to try to baptize more than once when you know Baptism can be given only once. The sight of the person dying and the fact that you are called for the first time may cause you to be somewhat excited; but be calm, remember the importance of the Sacrament, and you will administer it as directed. Parents should not baptize their own children in case of necessity, if there is any other person present who can validly do it. Remember those who administer Baptism contract a spiritual relationship with the person they baptize (not with his parents). If they wished, years afterwards, to marry the person they baptized, they must make this relationship known to the priest.

Sponsors are not necessary in private Baptism. A person may be sponsor for a child in Baptism without being present at the Baptism, provided someone else holds the child in his name and answers the questions he himself would answer if he were present. Such a sponsor is said to stand for the child by proxy, and he, and not the one who holds the child, is then the real godparent when, at the request of the parents or priest he has consented to be sponsor.

160. Q. What is Baptism of blood?

A. Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood for the faith of Christ.
Baptism of blood, called martyrdom, is received by those who were not baptized with water, but were put to death for their Catholic faith. This takes place even nowadays in pagan countries where the missionaries are trying to convert the poor natives. These pagans have to be instructed before they are baptized. They do everything required of them, let us suppose, and are waiting for the day of Baptism. Those who are being thus instructed are called Catechumens. Someday, while they are attending their instructions, the enemies of religion rush down upon them and put them to death. They do not resist, but willingly suffer death for the sake of the true religion. They are martyrs then and are baptized in their own blood; although, as we said above, blood would not do for an ordinary Baptism even if we could not get water; so that if a person drew blood from his own body and asked to be baptized with it, the Baptism would not be valid. Neither would they be martyrs if put to death not for religion or virtue but for some other reason - say political.

161. Q. Is Baptism of desire or of blood sufficient to produce the effects of Baptism of water?

A. Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the effects of the Baptism of water, if it is impossible to receive the Baptism of water.

But of course the Baltimore Catechism (except #1 and below) affirms BOB and BOD! That is exactly why Fr. Feeney so objected to it. To read Bread of Life, one would get the idea that this would be applicable to only the Baltimore Catechism (and perhaps only the barest handful of others). After all, how many Bible editions are there out there that wickedly list "Thou shalt commit adultery" as one of the Ten Commandments? But had the Baltimore Catechism been so supposedly wrong (as was "the Wicked Bible"), could the Church have consented to use it, and for so long? But needless to say, the Baltimore Catechism is not in any way unique in teaching BOB and BOD, or even unusual. A Catechism for Inquirers was written by Reverend Joseph I. Malloy, C.S.P., back in 1927, and it states, on the Sacrament of Baptism:

16. What is baptism of desire?

When it is impossible to receive the baptism of water, one who had an earnest desire to do all that God has ordained for salvation, and has perfect sorrow for sin, receives what is called the baptism of desire.

17. What is baptism of blood?

If one could not be baptized, but willingly suffered death for the faith of Jesus Christ, such a one would receive the baptism of blood.

The well-known and popular Catechism My Catholic Faith, originally published in 1949, affirms the same on page 253 (1949 edition):

Why is Baptism necessary for salvation of all men? - Baptism is necessary for the salvation of all men, because Christ has said: "Unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

From the time of Christ this has been the unequivocal teaching of the Church. The reason lies in the fact that only Baptism can remit original sin; no one with any taint can enter Heaven.

1. Those who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism can be saved through what is called baptism of blood or baptism of desire.

Either baptism of desire or of blood entitles one to the possession of heaven, just as baptism by water. However, only baptism by water imprints a character on the soul, and so entitles one to the reception of the other sacraments.

(a) An unbaptized person receives the baptism of blood when he suffers martyrdom for the faith of Christ.

One who lays down his life for Christ or some Christian virtue is said to have received baptism of blood. Our Lord promised, "He who loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt. 10:39). Thus the Holy Innocents whom Herod slew out of hatred for the Infant Jesus received the baptism of blood.

(b) An unbaptized person received the baptism of desire when he loves God above all things, and desires to do all that is necessary for his salvation.

One who loves God above all things, is sorry for his sins, and ardently longs for Baptism when it is impossible to received it; or one who not knowing the necessity of Baptism, sincerely wishes to do all required for salvation, is said to have received baptism of desire. Our Lord promised that whoever loves Him will be loved by the Father (John 14:21). Therefore only those who have attained the use of reason can profit from the baptism of desire.

Fr. John Laux, M.A. also prepared a four volume series titled A Course in Religion - For Catholic High Schools and Academies. Quoting from the first two volumes, Chief Truths of the Faith (page 147) and Mass and the Sacraments (page 18), he too affirms BOB and BOD:

3. How is Sanctifying Grace Conferred Upon Man? - The process by which an adult passes from a state of sin and spiritual death to the favor and friendship of God is called by St. Paul Justification. Hence our question is usually put in this way: How is a man justified? The Council of Trent distinguishes five steps in the process:

a) God, by His grace, touches the heart of the sinner and calls him to repentance. This grace cannot be merited; it proceeds solely from the love and mercy of God. It is, however, in the sinner's power to reject or to receive the Divine inspiration; it is in his power to turn to God and the practice of virtue or to persevere in sin. Grace does not do violence to his free will, but assists it.

b) Assisted by grace, the sinner on his part voluntarily turns to God and believes in the revelations and promises of God, especially in the truth "that the sinner is justified by God's grace through the Redemption which is in Christ Jesus."

c) The effect of this faith is that the sinner is struck with a wholesome fearof the justice of God, but at the same time he hopes to obtain pardon from the mercy of God.

d) Now he begins to love God, hates and detests his sins, and resolves to lead a life pleasing to God.

e) Thus prepared, he receives the Sacrament of Baptism, or, if he is already baptized, the Sacrament of Penance. If he cannot receive either of these Sacraments, an act of perfect contrition suffices. The sinner has become just; that is, he has got himself right with God; he is a friend instead of a foe of God, a child of God instead of a slave of the devil. He is numbered amongst those of whom St. Paul says: "You are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6: 11).

The process of justification described above refers only to adults. With regard to infants the Church teaches, as we saw before, that they are justified in Baptism without any act of their own.

8. Substitutes for Baptism. - When one who believes cannot receive the Baptism of water, the sacrament may be supplied by the Baptism of Desire or the Baptism of Blood.

Baptism of Desire is an act of perfect contrition combined with an ardent wish, either explicit or implicit, to receive Baptism. A person who does not know the necessity of Baptism, but wishes to do all that is required for salvation, is said to have an implicit desire of Baptism. "Every one that loveth is born of God" (1 John 4, 7).

St. Ambrose says of the Emperor Valentinian II, who was murdered before he could receive Baptism: "As others are cleansed by their own blood, so this man was cleansed by his piety and his ardent desire."

Baptism of Blood is martyrdom suffered for the sake of Christ. "He that shall lose his life for Me shall find it," says our Divine Lord. The Baptism of Blood remits all punishment due to sin. "It would be an insult," says St. Augustine," to pray for the martyrs."

The popular Catholic apologists of the early-mid Twentieth Century, Frs. Rumble and Carty, also answered questions pertaining to BOB and BOD. Of course, they are best known as Catholic apologists, but oftentimes a clear catechesis is the best apologetic. In Volumes 1 (Questions 803 and 804) and 2 (Question 722) of their famous Radio Replies series, and their fourth volume, That Catholic Church - A Radio Analysis (Questions 1597 through 1602, and 1613), they write:

803. Then are all the unbaptized lost, whether it be their own fault or not?

No one will ever be lost save through his own fault. Christ is God, and, as God, can work with secondary causes or without them. The ordinary means of salvation is by Baptism, and one who is convinced of the necessity of Baptism yet deliberately refuses to receive it cannot be saved. But God can supply the grace usually given by Baptism, and does so without the actual sacramental rite in two cases. If an unbaptized person dies a martyr for Christ he is credited with Baptism of blood. Baptism of desire counts for the man who repents of his sins and dies with the sincere will to do God's will, yet who, through no fault of his own, does not realize the necessity of actual Baptism by water, or is unable to receive it.

804. Would you explain more fully this Baptism of desire?

Every human being has a conscience which dictates a natural law of moral obligation at least when he comes to the age of reason. If a pagan knows nothing of Christianity, and is ignorant of it through no fault of his own, he can at least repent of his personal sins against his conscience, and desire to do the right thing. God gives every man the grace to do this much. Now we know that a man should receive Baptism. If the pagan knew this he would receive Baptism. This sincere desire to do all that God would require implicitly includes the desire of Baptism, and God takes the will for the deed, granting sanctifying grace. Thus such a pagan would be saved. As is clear, anyone who has attained to the use of reason would be capable of this Baptism of desire.

722. Does Catholic doctrine allow that the soul of an unbaptized heathen can enter Heaven?

Not in the case of unbaptized infants who die before coming to the use of reason and the stage of personal responsibility. The heathens who do come to the age of personal responsibility can attain to the supernatural order of grace and inherit that very heaven for which baptism is normally required on certain conditions. For example, a pagan may never have heard of the Gospel, or having heard of it, may have quite failed to grasp its significance. He remains a heathen, knowing no better and dies without receiving the actual Sacrament of Baptism. In such a case God will not blame him for that for which he really is not responsible. At the same time, God wills all men to be saved, and will certainly give that heathen sufficient grace for his salvation according to the condition in which he is. If that heathen, under the influence of interior promptings of conscience and the actual inspirations of grace given by God, repents sincerely before death of such moral lapses as he has committed during life, he will secure forgiveness, and save his soul in view of the Baptism he would have been willing to receive had he known it to be necessary, and could he have done so. We Catholics say that such a heathen has been saved by Baptism of Desire. The desire, of course, is implicit only.

1597. The Athanasian Creed declares without qualification that its acceptance is necessary for salvation.

The Athanasian Creed was written by Catholics for people already Catholics, and it tells them that they will not remain Catholics unless they accept the explanations contained in it of the particular aspects of the Christian religion with which it deals. And all Catholics know quite well that fidelity to their Catholic Faith is necessary for their salvation. But a person who had never at any time realized the truth of the Catholic Church and the binding character of the Athanasian Creed would not forfeit salvation by a refusal to believe what he is unaware of any obligation to believe.

1598. I find it difficult to square what you say with what the Creed says.

Your difficulty arises from confusing an objective statement of truth for all who know the Catholic religion to be that of Christ, with the question of the subjective dispositions of those who have never attained to such knowledge. It is one thing to state the truth which all sufficiently informed people must hold. It is quite another to say that insufficiently informed are not morally to blame for what they have never realized. Nor, because such people are not morally to blame for their mistake, does it follow that it is as good to be mistaken as to know the truth.

1599 In the Bull "Unam Sanctum," Nov. 18, 1302, Pope Boniface VIII defined that for all human beings it is absolutely necessary for salvation to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.

He did, in order to stress the serious obligation of every man to join the Catholic Church once he becomes aware of its truth. But until a man becomes aware of its truth, he cannot be obliged to join it. In fact, if a man sincerely believed the Catholic Church to be false, or even Antichrist (some people do!), he would be obliged not to join it whilst laboring under such a delusion. And he would be guilty of grave sin before God if he did join it against the dictates if his conscience.

1600 Is that quotation from Boniface VIII complete, excluding nothing which would alter its meaning?

It is complete in regard to the particular aspect of the relationship of the Catholic Church to the salvation of souls with which it deals. But there is another and equally important aspect of the subject with which it did not intend to deal, of which the explanation is to be sought elsewhere and in its own proper place.

1601 I presume that the definition by Pope Boniface VIII has never been retracted?

Never.

1602 Then I know that your Church definitely teaches that no person whatever can be saved unless he is a true Roman Catholic and subject to the Pope.

In that case you know better than the Catholic Church herself the meaning of her own teachings! For on Dec. 9, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared: "We must hold as of faith that out of the Apostolic Roman Church there is no salvation; that she is the only ark of safety, and whosoever is not in her perishes in the deluge. We must also, on the other hand, recognize with certainty that those who are invincible ignorance of the true religion are not guilty for this in the eyes of the Lord." On August 10, 1863, he further said: "Those who are in invincible ignorance of our most holy religion, but who observe carefully the natural law graven by God on the hearts of all men, and who, being disposed to obey God, lead an honest and upright life, aided by divine grace, attain to eternal life."

1613. You are much more tolerant towards Pagans than you are towards Protestants whom you doom to hell because they don't belong to your Church.

The Catholic Church does not teach that Protestants are doomed to hell. As a matter of fact, an American Catholic priest, Father Leonard Feeney, began in 1949 to preach that such was the Catholic teaching. He was warned both by Archbishop Cushing of Boston, and then by the Holy See itself, that he was preaching wrong doctrine and misrepresenting Catholic teaching. Told repeatedly by the highest ecclesiastical authorities to cease propagating such ideas, he refused to obey and on Feb. 13, 1953, was declared excommunicated by Rome and expelled from the Catholic Church.

The Catechism Explained - An Exhaustive Exposition of the Catholic Religion by Reverend Francis Spirago, edited by Reverend Richard F. Clarke, S.J., has the following to say about BOB and BOD on pages 580-581:

6. If baptism by water is impossible, it may be replaced by the baptism of desire, or by the baptism of blood, as in the case of those who suffer martyrdom for the faith of Christ.

The Emperor Valentinian II was on the way to Milan to be baptized when he was assassinated; St. Ambrose said of him that his desire had been the means of his cleansing. The patriarchs, prophets, and holy men of the Old Testament had the baptism of desire; their love of God was ardent, and they wished to do all that He commands. God accepts the will for the deed; in this He manifests His superabundant loving kindness. But all the temporal penalties of sin are not remitted by the baptism of desire. Martyrdom for Christ's sake is the baptism of blood. This the holy innocents received, and the Church commemorates them as saints. All unbaptized persons who suffer martyrdom for the Christian faith, for some act of Christian virtue, or the fulfillment of a Christian duty, also received the baptism of blood. Witness St. John Baptist; or St. Emerentiana, who, while yet a catechumen, was found by the pagans praying at St. Agnes' tomb, and was put to death by them. The Church does not pray for the unbaptized who suffer death for Christ; for He Himself says: "He that shall lose his life for Me, shall find it" (Matt. x. 39).

The Treatise again misquotes The Catechism Explained in a manner quite similar to how it misquotes Dr. Ludwig Ott. The same thing is done with The New St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism and the Catechism of Saint Pius X. A passage is found which affirms the absolute necessity of Baptism, and then when later passages go on about the substitution of Baptism of water with Baptism of Blood or Desire, that is supposed to be considered contradictory to that initial declaration. That is an awful lot of persons who supposedly cannot make up their minds as to what is true (and their works all get used for teaching in the Church? - Pretty amazing outcome for so many such "befuddled" minds!) and what is false. The supposed "contradiction" is most directly and summarily stated thus in the Treatise:

In the Baltimore Catechism the people have been taught two directly contradictory notions one after the other:

Baptism of water is absolutely necessary for the salvation of all;
and...

Baptism of water is not absolutely necessary for the salvation of all.

Can both be true at the same time? No, they cannot. As a Catholic, one must follow the first statement, which is in accord with defined dogma and the universal Tradition since the beginning of the Church, and is based on the declaration of Christ Himself.

So I guess one is just supposed to choose the first over the second, and then having done so, merely ignore or even repudiate the second, despite its universal inclusion in all of Catholic teaching! But of course, the explanation is perfectly obvious to anyone not absolutely committed to refusing to see the truth: Baptism, in whatever of the three forms (water, blood, or desire) as applicable in particular circumstances, is absolutely necessary for salvation. You have to have one of the three to be saved, and if the first one is not possible, there are still the two other possibilities. So long as you don't have any of them you cannot be saved. Obviously, one must now be able to see that there is no real contradiction here at all. Let's see how it is selectively quoted in the Treatise:

Fr. Francis Spirago and Fr. Richard Clarke, The Catechism Explained, 1899, Baptism: "3. BAPTISM IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY TO SALVATION. Hence children who die unbaptized cannot enter heaven. Our Lord says: 'Unless a man be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven' (John 3:5). He makes no exception, not even in the case of infants… Baptism is no less indispensable in the spiritual order than water in the natural order…"
Fr. Francis Spirago and Fr. Richard Clarke, The Catechism Explained, 1899, Baptism: "… for adults the simple desire is sufficient, if actual baptism is impossible."

Our Lord says: "Unless a man be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven" (John iii. 5). He makes no exception, not even in the case of infants. St. Basil says Baptism is the vessel wherein we embark for the celestial port. Baptism is no less indispensable in the spiritual order than water in the natural order, and since it is so indispensable, God has made it very easy. Nothing is absolutely necessary but water, which may be had everywhere; every one can baptize in case of need; newborn infants may be baptized; and for adults the simple desire is sufficient, if actual baptism is impossible. And since Baptism is of such urgent necessity for salvation, it follows that infants dying unbaptized cannot attain eternal felicity. For every child coming into the world has the taint of original sin, and has not sanctifying grace, without which no man can enter heaven. Yet, although infants dying without baptism are excluded from participation in celestial joys, the divine Judge does not consign them to the torments of hell, because they have never committed actual sin; they enjoy a certain natural happiness without physical suffering or mental sadness; they are cheerful as those are with whom all goes well on earth. But the happiness which is their portion bears much the same relation to everlasting felicity as the feeble light of a candle does to the brilliance of the noonday sun. Thus parents who through negligence allow their children to die unbaptized have much to answer for. The eternal salvation of the infant is entirely dependent on the free will of its fellow-man, especially near relatives. St. Augustine mentions the relics of St. Stephen having been efficacious in restoring to life a dead child in order that it might receive Baptism.

Seen in full, Spirago and Clarke put the whole picture together with uncommon seamlessness. Because Baptism is so essential, God makes it as easy as possible, by permitting emergency baptisms, by having the Sacrament require only the common element of water, and by providing the alternatives of Baptism of Blood and Desire for when water is impossible.

Even if one, or even two or three, defective catechisms could somehow fly "under the radar" and not be detected by anyone in Rome, how is it that so many could all be similarly "defective"? "But," one might counter, "these catechisms are all from the Twentieth Century, or at least the late Nineteenth Century. Do they not therefore stem from a period in which these teachings were unusually widespread?" But here recall from before that the Catechism of the Council of Trent, page 179, also supported these doctrines quite unequivocally, though somewhat indirectly:

Ordinarily They Are Not Baptized At Once On adults, however, the Church has not been accustomed to confer the Sacrament of Baptism at once, but has ordained that it be deferred for a certain time. The delay is not attended with the same danger as in the case of infants, which we have already mentioned; should any unforeseen accident make it impossible for adults to be washed in the salutary waters, their intention and determination to receive Baptism and their repentance for past sins, will avail them to grace and righteousness.

By now it should be clear that there is nothing distinctive about the Baltimore Catechism, and all that talk made by Fr. Feeney and his followers about how "liberal" or "Americanist" Cardinal Gibbons or Archbishop Carroll was is nothing but misdirection. The Baltimore Catechism is in doctrinal lock-step with all other authorized catechisms ever published and as such fully in accord with established teaching, even if some helpful clarification may have been lacking in some of the simpler editions. And yet we still are not through. The next Catechism is that of Pope Saint Pius X. It too affirms the same doctrine again (and with some incompleteness attributable to its being at a level somewhere between that of the Baltimore Catechism #1 and #2 level. It teaches, in the section on Baptism:

16 Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

A. Baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation, for our Lord has expressly said: "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."

17 Q. Can the absence of Baptism be supplied in any other way?

A. The absence of Baptism can be supplied by martyrdom, which is called Baptism of Blood, or by an act of perfect love of God, or of contrition, along with the desire, at least implicit, of Baptism, and this is called Baptism of Desire.

While one might reasonably suspect that His Holiness probably did not pen this Catechism himself personally, one still cannot imagine him allowing his name to be affixed to a Catechism (published in 1910, during his pontificate) which featured any teachings that he would have doubted or rejected. By all evidences it was prepared with his knowledge and approval, and apparently meant to serve as a template for catechisms around the world. And again, if anyone thinks that as pope, he might not have had the time or patience to examine a catechism written for mere children, so as to be unaware of the contents of such catechisms, recall the self-evident fact that he too was once a child (obviously not as "Pope Saint Pius X" but as Giuseppe Sarto the boy, and man, and seminarian) sitting in such catechism classes and being taught the same thing out of whatever catechism was being used back there then.

The new Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997 edition) has this to say about the necessity of Baptism, and BOB and BOD:

1257 The Lord Himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. [Footnote: Cf. Jn 3:5.] He also commands His disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. [Footnote: Cf. Mt 28:19-20; cf. Council of Trent (1547) DS 1618; LG 14; AG 5.] Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. [Footnote: Cf. Mk 16:16.] The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.

1258 The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament.

1259 For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.

1260 "Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery." [Footnote: GS § 5; cf. LG 16; AG 7.] Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.

I realize that anyone who shares Peter Dimond's belief regarding the present state of the Papacy (and even some who don't) might regard this last reference as being of little to no import. While there does admittedly seem to be some small amount of "softening the blow of truth" to its Paragraph 1257, there remains in the paragraphs quoted, in point of fact, nothing that actually contradicts in the least way what I have been proving throughout this entire series.

In point of fact, apart from such simplistic catechisms for very small children (such as a Baltimore #1) there doesn’t seem to be a catechism around that omits BOB and BOD, and none discussing them but denying them. One therefore has to wonder just where all the Catholics of the world, since there have been catechisms, an ordinary Catholic growing up and learning his catechism and faith would have been able to turn for a catechism which would be "untainted" from the standpoint of those who deny BOB and/or BOD. One would have to wonder why there would not be at least some catechism, other than those meant for very small children, which would fit their bill. BOB and BOD are not merely in one, or a few, or even a lot, but seemingly just about every serious and advanced Catechism that can be found.

I close my "What About the What-abouts" subseries (begun with installment 5) here with this beautiful and simple summary of the Church's response to Fr. Feeney, as provided by Frs. Rumble and Carty, as taken from That Catholic Church - A Radio Analysis, questions 1594 and 1595:

1594. Does not your Catechism teach that "outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation"?

The Catechism teaches that no one outside the Catholic Church through his own fault can be saved.

1595. Is not that a monstrous doctrine?

No in the sense in which it was meant. It would be monstrous if we said that no one outside the Catholic Church, whether through his own fault or not, can be saved. I am speaking, of course, of a person's public profession of adherence to the visible Catholic Church in this world. This is a profound subject which raises the questions as to whether it is necessary to belong to the Church, and to which Church, and in what way or to what extent one must belong to it in order to be saved.

The key word in all that is "monstrous." The peculiar doctrine propounded by Fr. Feeney and his followers, including Peter Dimond, and as refuted throughout this series is indeed "monstrous." The real whole point of denying BOB and BOD is to try to find some excuse to put as many in hell as possible, as if one should derive pleasure from the thought, or as if the joys of Heaven would be lessened if they had to be shared with any who were not baptized in water, however innocent. The "monster-God" concept may well appeal to those who love to devote themselves to serving evil, but it really can have no appeal to conscience. Such an appeal can only draw lovers of iniquity, those who love the idea of the innocent suffering endlessly. Can there be a more direct example of bad will?

I really have to wonder at the monstrous teaching that the Heavenly Father is not like the Father in the parable of the Prodigal son who, "when he [the son] was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20) Those who deny BOB and BOD would have it that the Heavenly Father cares not of his son until that son has fully arrived, and washed up, and then He takes notice of him, "Oh, I didn't see you coming. How lucky for you that you made it. Now that you are back, and now that you have washed, only now are you finally welcome."

Griff's book is available from iUniverse.com Books for $26.95 or can be read on-line at www.the-pope.com We at The Daily Catholic strongly urge you to share it with all you can for that could be the gentle shove that moves your friends back to where the True Faith resides forever, rooted in the Truths and Traditions of Holy Mother Church as Christ intended and promised.